The new fifth generation instrument (UVP5) is compact (30 kg in air) and operates either as a stand-alone instrument with an independent power supply for use on a mooring or free-drifting array, or as a component of a Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD)-rosette package. With such system, we have performed more than 4000 profiles in the world ocean. We analyze each year more than 500 profiles consisting of more than 5 millions images of particles or zooplankton. All the images are analysed and quality controled using the data pipeline defined by the VIP3 plateform.

We are now developing a new miniaturized system in the frame of the European Project BRIDGES.

Figure showing the global coverage of our sampling and the evolution of UVP profiles from 1991 to 2012. The big step in 2008 was due to the development of the UVP5.